1985
Official opening of Stage 1 upgrade
Time capsule buried for 2035 AD opening
EHS and community tennis club formed
Janette Bradley introduces "optional school uniforms"

1986
Meg Russell retires after 20 years service
Stage 2 of upgrade completed at a cost of $2.3 million

1987
First four-term year
Middle school moves to semester units
The show was performed at the first Marnik Drama Excellence Competition at the
Fitzroy Town Hall coming second. Paul Treadwell, a new comer to acting, wins Best Male Actor

Upgrades and building projects have been an exciting part of my time at the school. I hardly
need to document here the emerging status of School Councils at this time. However, this whole
devolution of power to schools saw the School Council develop and implement a 'Master Plan' for
EHS. Upgrading of buildings and grounds, construction of the Art/Craft, Science and Commerce wings,
as well as the proposed Technology building and much needed Basketball Stadium/Gymnasium is all
an ongoing process of this 'Master Plan'.

However, despite this emphasis on buildings over the years, the most important aspect has
been the people. There is definitely an aura of Wes Muir, the previous principal still
hovering over EHS. My impressions are that he had a great deal of time for people, and
that he had instilled this feeling in others.

Much of the success of EHS in the 80's needs to be attributed to this willingness to help each
other. Excellent academic and sporting performances, Arts Festivals and Calendars, Drama Productions,
Band Competitions and music programme expansion, Christmas Concerts, Public Speaking awards,
Camps and Magazine publications never happen without a great deal of cooperative effort and
enthusiasm from both staff and students.

Surely one of the "highs" in the school's life was the winning of the "Most Outstanding
Band" award at the Pacific Basin Band Festival in Hawaii in March 1989, and subsequently
being the first school to received the Premier's commission for the "outstanding
contribution made to the State of Victoria".

Eltham Copper Butterfly Sanctuary

Michael Braby attended EHS from 1976 to 1981. Always a keen naturalist, in January 1987,
Michael discovered populations of the Eltham Copper butterfly in the Diosma/Eucalyptus
Roads area of Eltham, an area under threat of subdivision. The butterfly had not
been sighted for many years and was thought to be on the verge of extinction. A spirited
public campaign followed Michael's disclosure, and on March 28, 1989, the Eltham Copper
Butterfly Sanctuary in Eucalyptus Road was opened by Kay Setches, Minister for
Conservation, Forests and Lands. Land in Diosma Road was purchased by the people
of Eltham in August 1989.